Budapest Travel Forum

Hello!

I am trying to get info for a trip from Budapest to Krakow, Poland. I looked up on the "MAV" website and I was confused on the trains they listed. I want an overnight train with a direct connection, so I dont have to get off and change trains. I saw there were some with 0 stops, but when I click on it for details, it seems to be three different train numbers. I also can not figure out how to get a price and if I am able to book the ticket online. Can someone help clarify all that for me.

I also searched eurolines for a bus and I think I did something wrong because it says that it only takes 7 hours and is 34 USD. Can someone let me know if that is correct, and if not, what the real info would be.

Thanks!

www.eurolines.com says the bus leaves Budapest at 06.15 and arrives at 13.30. Tickets cost either 3900 or 8900 HUF (15 or 35 euro) one-way. Journey tme seems ok to me (it's a coach, not a stopping bus), and you were obviously doing the right thing. Only runs on Wednesdays and Saturdays though, seemingly.

The direct trains given on

http://www.elvira.hu/

are direct: they would not be advertised as such if they were not. However, not all the carriages seem to be direct for the journey, so make sure you get in the right one (the red arrow gives details). Presumably they uncouple carriages as they go, which may explain the number changes.

As for fares, this is from their FAQs:

'Why does not ELVIRA know the tariff of an international travel? How can I learn it in a different way?
ELVIRA is a passenger information system mainly for inland travels. The calculation of international tariffs is much more complicated than the one in Hungary: it depends on the countries, trains, lines, and it often changes. In a word it is very difficult to make an algorithm for calculating international tariffs and update it.

You can get information from the Passanger Information Centre of the Hungarian State Railways sending a mail to informacio@mav-start.hu or calling the phone number +36 (1) 371-94-49 from abroad or 06 (40) 49-49-49 in Hungary.'

Awesome reply!!!! It was so thorough and cleared up all my questions. I appreciate your time!!!!

Jenn

I would recommend you the orange bus, it does not run everyday, but very cheap and running-time is hardly more than 7 hours
http://www.orangeways.com/en/Budapest-Krakow-bus-train

The english pages for trains dont work correctly. I dont know why. By the way, Internet booking is valid only onto the inland passanger trains currently.
http://www.elvira.hu/ or http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en?ld=212.234&seqnr=1&ident=fl.06287234.1210840644&rt=1&OK#focus
On hungarian page the offer is as follows
SparNight offer onto one way: (in a limited number purchasable, the preferential ticket including the reservation, non-returnable, cannot be substituted.)
Couchette
In 6 personal section 39 €
In 4 personal section 43 €
Sleeper
In 3 personal section (Tourist) 45 €
In 2 personal section (Double) 49 €
In 1 personal section (Single) 99 €

The way through carriages are denoted is confusing indeed, but it must be shown somehow that not all carriages continue on to Krakow. Next time if you have difficulties using Elvira, move the cursor over the symbol unknown and soon a short description would pop up. Elvira also has a FAQ site.